I frequently receive email from companies asking me to share news or discounts with my readers. Each week I’ll gather the best requests and share them with you here.
IHOP’S FREE PANCAKE GIVEAWAY RETURNS FEB 23, 2010
Goal is to Raise a Cumulative $5 Million For Charity In First Five Years
of Annual National Pancake Day Celebration
IHOP, one of America’s favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, has announced plans to serve millions of free pancakes again next year in celebration of National Pancake Day on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. Planned as a celebration of friends, family and community, IHOP hopes the program will raise $1.75 million for Children’s Miracle Network, an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals, and other worthy local causes.
2010 will mark IHOP’s fifth year celebrating the national event and the company has set an ambitious goal to raise a cumulative $5 million for charity in the first five years of its free flapjack philanthropic effort. More than 1,400 IHOP restaurants throughout the United States will once again invite guests to enjoy a free short stack of IHOP’s signature buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on National Pancake Day. In return, IHOP guests are asked to donate what they would have paid for the free pancakes, or more, to the Children’s Miracle Network hospital in their community, or another designated local cause.
“We are flipping for ‘five in five’ with our 2010 National Pancake Day campaign, and with our guests’ generous support, plan to reach our goal of $5 million in five years,” said Carolyn O’Keefe, IHOP’s senior vice president, marketing. “IHOP’s franchisees and guests have raised more than $3.25 million to support Children’s Miracle Network and other local charities since we started our National Pancake Day in 2006. The day has become a tradition for families and friends who wish to enjoy great food and great service while helping out a great cause.”
Children’s Miracle Network “Miracle Balloons” will be sold for $1 and $5 each and will be personalized and displayed at participating IHOP restaurants from February 1 through February 23, 2010. Miracle Balloon sales offer guests another way to show their support of Children’s Miracle Network and contribute to the National Pancake Day fundraising effort.
In 2009, IHOP gave away three million pancakes and raised nearly $1.5 million in support of Children’s Miracle Network and other local charities, far exceeding its goal to raise $1 million. Since starting its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006, IHOP has given away more than 6.1 million free pancakes to benefit children’s charities –- that stacks up more than 53.5 miles high!
For more information about IHOP’s National Pancake Day, or to learn more about Children’s Miracle Network and make an online donation, visit www.ihoppancakeday.com.
ABOUT CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK
Children’s Miracle Network is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children’s hospitals. Countless individuals, 90 organizations and 400 media partners unite with Children’s Miracle Network hospitals to help sick and injured kids in local communities. Donations to Children’s Miracle Network create miracles by funding medical care, research and education that saves and improves the lives of 17 million children each year. To learn more go to ChildrensMiracleNetwork.org.
ABOUT IHOP
For 51 years, the IHOP family restaurant chain has served its world famous pancakes and a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items that are loved by people of all ages. IHOP offers its guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. The first IHOP opened in Toluca Lake, Calif. in 1958, and as of September 30, 2009, there were 1,433 IHOPs in 50 states, Canada and Mexico. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).
ANIBOOM AWARDS 4 SESAME STREET
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER SESAME STREET TO FIND THE WORLD’S BEST ANIMATors IN A COMPETITION BY PARTNERING WITH VIRTUAL ANIMATION STUDIO ANIBOOM
Cash Prizes for Category Winners and Grand Prize Winning Animation to Appear on Sesame Street’s 41st Season
New York, NY, February 18, 2010 – Aniboom, the world’s first virtual animation studio, today announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, one of the world’s most beloved children’s brands, for the Fourth Annual Aniboom Animation Awards. The Aniboom Awards 4 Sesame Street contest recognizes outstanding creativity among independent animators around the world and encourages animators of all levels to push the boundaries of innovation in the medium. This marks the first time the show has participated in a world-wide competition for content in its 40 year history. Cash prizes will be awarded to category winners and the Grand Prize winner’s animation will appear on an episode of Sesame Street.
This year’s awards will showcase the work of artists creating animations appropriate for pre-school age children in 5 different categories: School Readiness Skills, Pro-Social, re-make of the Sesame Street classic animation “Pinball Number Count,” Anything Goes “The Sky is the Limit”, and Community Favorite (to be determined by a voting tool on the Aniboom website). Each category will have one finalist (all but Community Favorite to be determined by Sesame Workshop), and a Grand Prize winner will be chosen among the finalists by a panel of celebrity judges. A total of $50,000 in cash and development money is to be awarded to the winners. Additionally, the Grand Prize winning animation will be included in Sesame Street’s 41st season which begins airing later this year.
“This is the first year that the Aniboom Awards have focused on children’s animation and there is no better partner than Sesame Street to be associated with,” says Uri Shinar, founder and CEO of Aniboom. “We have provided our community of over 8,000 animators in 72 countries with remarkable opportunities to make programming for FOX, music videos for Radiohead and animation for Marvel Comics. But Sesame Street is a uniquely exciting partner for all the animators who are so eager to create for children.”
“Sesame Street has a long history of using animation to teach generations of children all about numbers, letters, shapes and the world around them,” adds Carol-Lynn Parente, Executive Producer of Sesame Street. “We are thrilled to partner with a community of animators like Aniboom to find unique programming from around the globe to help educate and engage today’s kids.”
Animators registered with the Aniboom Virtual Animation Studio will be able to submit their entries over an eight week period from March 1st until April 26th. The top 5 category winners will be announced on May 10th, 2010 and the Grand Prize winner on May 17th. For the full list of rules and Sesame Street animation guidelines for the competition, please visit www.aniboom.com.
Celebrating its impressive 40th anniversary this season, Sesame Street is the longest-running program in children’s television. The series has received more Emmy awards than any other show in television history (122), as well as a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award honoring the 40th year.
The Fresh Air Fund NEEDS host families for the Summer of 2010
In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.
The Fresh Air Fund relies on donations to provide memorable summers to NYC children.
The Fresh Air Fund needs hosts for the summer of 2010.
More than 65% of all Fresh Air children are reinvited to stay with their host family, year after year.
Thanks to host families who open up their homes for a few weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air experiences.
Fresh Air Fund Host Families
“It is rewarding to see the smile on our Fresh Air child’s face as she enjoys the simple things we take for granted…”
Friendly Town host families are volunteers who live in the suburbs or small town communities. Host families range in size, ethnicity and background, but share the desire to open their hearts and homes to give city children an experience they will never forget. Hosts say the Fresh Air experience is as enriching for their own families, as it is for the inner-city children. There are no financial requirements for hosting a child. Volunteers may request the age-group and gender of the Fresh Air youngster they would like to host. Stories about real Fresh Air host families and their New York City visitors are just a click away!
Click here to learn more about becoming a host or call (800) 367-0003!
GoodNites Bedtime Theater Contest
Prize: $2,500
Who’s eligible USA
Contest ends: 4/15/2010
Contest url http://http://www.goodnites.com/na/Bedtime-Games-Stories/Bedtime-Theater/Contest.aspx
Eight (8) weekly prizes (one per week of the Contest) will be awarded from the eligible entries submitted during that week, each consisting of an American Express gift card in the amount of fifty dollars ($50). Actual retail value: $50. Total retail value of all weekly prizes: $400. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the weekly prize cannot be awarded as described for any reason. Limit one (1) weekly prize per name and/or e-mail address and/or household. Weekly winning entries will be deemed the “Iggy’s Next Adventure of the Week” and featured prominently in the GoodNites® brand bi-monthly newsletter. Weekly prize winners are eligible for semi-finalist and grand prize.
Ten (10) semi-finalist prizes will be awarded from all entries submitted during the contest period, each consisting of one (1) MP3 player and one (1) set of speakers. Actual retail value: $250. Total retail value of all semi-finalist prizes: $2,500. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the semi-finalist prize cannot be awarded as described for any reason. Limit one (1) semi-finalist prize per name and/or email address and/or household. Semi-finalist winning entries will be deemed the “Iggy’s Next Adventure Semi-Finalist Winners” and may be announced in the GoodNites® monthly newsletter. Semi-finalist winners are eligible for grand prize.
One (1) grand prize will be awarded, consisting of a check in the amount of twenty five hundred dollars ($2,500), which may be used toward a magical family vacation. Grand prize winner’s winning story will also be produced and included in the next Bedtime Theater audio installment available on www.BedtimeTheater.com. Actual retail value of check which may be used towards a magical family vacation: $2,500. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the grand prize cannot be awarded as described for any reason. Winner understands story will be expanded upon to follow format of previously produced Bedtime Theater™ audio installments and grants rights to alter written story in any manner in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Winner understands the story will be produced into audio installment in months following grand prize winner announcement with the use of Bedtime Theater™ audio installment talent. Grand prize winner’s name and story may be prominently featured on BedtimeTheater.com as well as in the GoodNites® monthly newsletter.
